1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for providing efficient management and fulfillment of customer orders in a food processing and distribution environment. More specifically, the invention relates to a system having an order management function, integrated with financial services to process orders promptly and create current and efficient financial records. Likewise the system includes a logistics function for processing orders and consolidating them into appropriate loads for delivery over transportation systems. Integrated in the system is an inventory management system that cooperates with the order management function, financial services function and logistics function to properly manage the raw material and finished product through a warehouse for delivery to a customer. Also included in the system is a purchasing system based upon an electronic catalog that streamlines the purchasing function by using blanket vendor orders to approve the purchase of the necessary materials to support the system.
2. Related Art
A software package named Flashpoint provided by Knowledge Ware, Inc. is utilized to create screens for customer service representatives. PRISM software provided by Marcam is used to operate IBM AS/400 mini computers to support terminals using Flashpoint software. SMS software, supplied by ITLS of Canada, resides on the AS/400 platform to support the logistics function and TRACS software supplied by Westerley Development Corp., supports PCs driven by the TRACS software. Rhumba/400 software is supplied by Wall Data, as well as PC Support by IBM to enable communications between an AS/400 platform and PC terminals. Furthermore, Software 2K provided by Software 2000 of Boston, Mass. supports financial functions. Marcam has issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,507 pertaining to a method and apparatus for process manufacture control. The aforementioned vendor software and patent are hereby incorporated by reference.
None of the foregoing software is integrated to provide an efficient order management system. In the past, these software packages operated vertically. This prior architecture does not provide the necessary system integration for efficient real-time data management.